Why do So Many People Believe So Much Crap?

Conspiracy Theories and Pareidolia

The Face On Mars

I Like the above picture. It was taken in 1976 by the Viking probe. It's a Face. Definitely a Face. It even seems to be wearing some sort of Egyptian Headress. The problem with the face in the picture is that its a landform on Mars. If it is truly a face, then it's evidence of an extra-terrestrial intelligence.

So NASA went back to Mars in 2001 to image the area again in HD. This is what they got.

HD Face On Mars

You can see all the same elements as in the 1^st image, but in HD the face suddenly fades away. This phenomenon is called Pareidolia. 

The Carina Nebula

 

Pareidolia is the result of our brains trying to discern patterns from random information. Anyone who has looked at the clouds and described shapes has engaged in a bit of harmless pareidolia. It turns out that pareidolia is a side affect of the human brain being so clever.

No animal we know of is better at recognising patterns out of chaos. It's one of Humanities Super Powers. None of our computers are as capable at pattern recognition as we are either. If you have ever tried to register an account on a website and had to type in a number which is surrounded by clutter you'll know its to prevent automated signups.

Computers can't do this

The ability to hear a rustle in the trees, and discern a food source is nearby is of course a massive evolutionary advantage, but it does come with some disadvantages.

In evolutionary terms the safe position is to imagine that there is an agency at play when we see a pattern. Sometimes it is there. Sometimes it isn’t. If we hear a branch breaking in the jungle, better to assume it's a Tiger than find out it was as it devours you.

Unscrupulous people understand this and prey upon it. There is an argument that Pareidolia is the explanation for religion. It's very easy to point out patterns in the background static that is life and then give your explanation. People will believe you! Certainly the Life of L Ron Hubbard of Scientology, Charles Taze Russell who founded the Jehovahs Witnesses and Joseph Smith, a convicted con artist who founded the Mormons don't argue against it. 

 

In the Picture Joseph Smith uses a magical “Seer Stone” to look upon the stone tablets that only he can see because he's placed them in his hat. The magic stones translate the stone tablet from North American Hebrew to King James English. And when I say King James English, large chunks of the Book of Mormon”are identical to the bible.

The tricks are the same, but storys have changed. 

 

This is David Icke. He contends that we are all being controlled by Reptilian Aliens from the constellation Draco. You to can buy his books about it. (Which I sincerely doubt any alien overlord would allow to be published.) In short he's a charletan who manipulates people by scaring them witless, however there is a crazy internal logic to his statements. 

He earnt my enmity however when during the Swine Flu outbreak of a few years ago, he told people not to immunise themselves or their children against it, because the immunisation treatment was how the government was spreading spreading the flu to kill people. 

 

There are others. Some blame the Illuminati, others the Bilderburg Group, others the Grey Aliens from Zeta Reticuli. These sham merchants can explain all that's going wrong in the world. Why do the Rich get Richer? The Illluminati of course. Why are mental Health problem being diagnosed more frequently? Big Pharma of course. We jump at ready made simple explanations of highly complex systems that sound good in theory.

Of course others are doing this for altruistic reasons. They've fallen down the rabbit hole and

now share what they think they “know”.

When confronted with a new conspiracy theory I always do the following.

1. Ascertain whether the pattern is really there. eg. Q. Could Jet Fuel have brought down the WTC buildings? A. Yes most certainly.
2. Does this stand up to an application of Occams Razor. Occams razor states that all things being equal the simplest explanation is most likely the true one. eg. Is it more likey that aliens have used enough resourses to travel interstellar distances and then draw pictures in the crops of southern England or is it more likely that 2 guys working with a rope and crop flatteners were responsible for the craze.

So in Short is it likely that our Government is really being controlled by short Grey Aliens from Zeta Reticuli? If so follow Mulder and Scully down the Rabbit Hole. Otherwise. Please use some common sense.